Local plan scoping consultation

I am writing to set out my objections to the proposed plans for the development by Tatton estate in Ashley, Cheshire East.

The land is currently high-grade agricultural land, in the main in a greenbelt area. The Greenbelt is vital as it is the first break in the urban sprawl of Manchester up to Hale, Halebarns and Bowdon.

The use of Greenbelt land is only permitted if it is near a well-connected station. Ashley is a train station on the northern line between Chester and Manchester Piccadilly. It currently has one train each hour in each direction during the week and reduced service on the weekends. Ashley is the least used station on that line. It has no parking. There is no bus service in the village.

There are currently plans approved and funding in place to build a train station in Cheadle It is my understanding from speeches delivered in the houses of Parliament that when that development goes ahead the services in Ashley will be reduced even further.

Ashley is a small rural village with a total number of houses at around 95. The centre of Ashley which would be affected by the proposed development is around 60 houses. The plans submitted by Tatton estate run to a total of 11,000 houses. The four roads in and out of Ashley are very dangerous and have regular accidents involving cars pedestrians and cyclists. In each direction there is either a narrow bridge over a river or a narrow bridge over the existing train line. The influx of traffic in and out of all those directions would not be feasible on those roads.

As stated above the soil is high quality agricultural land and given the low yields produced this year, and likely to be repeated due to climate change , this land should be protected rather than built upon.

Please take these points as my objections to the proposed plans submitted by Tatton Estate.